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President Erdoğan rejoins AK Party

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan arrived at the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) headquarter in the capital to rejoin the party after 33 months, following the constitutional reform referendum which enables him to be affiliated with a political party.

President Erdoğan made an effective speech at AK Party group meeting and party members applauded standing his words...

Speaking at the ceremony at AK Party headquarters, Erdoğan said: "Today, I return to the party that I founded, my home, my passion, my love, which I had to leave according to our Constitution on August 27, 2014, when I was elected president."

Under last month, under the previous Constitution's rules, a Turkish president could not hold membership in a political party.

The April 16 constitutional change referendum overturned that rule.

Having rejoined the party ranks, Erdoğan is now expected to be re-elected AK Party leader at an extraordinary congress in May.

Turning to Turkey's European Union accession process, Erdoğan said Turkey woud stop pursuing EU membership if the EU failed to open new accession chapters.

"You [EU] have no choice but to open these chapters you have not opened so far, if you don't, [then] goodbye," Erdoğan said.

"Europe is giving all kinds of support to these [FETO terrorist] members and the PKK. Why?" Erdoğan asked and added: "They give such support to derail Turkey's rise."